I'm 80 and traveled by train often before Amtrak but have never rode an Amtrak train. Now that I live alone since my wife of 56 years passed away in 2021, I don't feel much like traveling anywhere without her. I'd planned for us to take a bedroom roundtrip on the Empire Builder from St Paul to Seattle but we never got around to it. In the early 1960s my future wife and I would each pay 35 cents one way between St Paul & Minneapolis. Back then there were many railroads and we liked to experience each one. The Chicago & Great Western had the oldest coaches, maybe built in the 1940s. They had wood paneling with maroon upholstery to match the maroon exterior. When I was stationed at Minot AFB, I would take the Great Northern Empire Builder or the all day local trains #3 & #4 which made frequent stops between Minot and St Paul. Trains #3 & #4 would stop at Grand Forks & Devils Lake and I recall Amish people often riding that train as they boarded in the small towns of northeastern North Dakota. While living in Minot I once took the Empire Builder roundtrip to Whitefish MT. This was during April and I recall a heavy snowstorm as the westbound train entered higher elevations of the Rockies. The GN Empire Builder had several dome cars which provided views from all sides. My family moved to the Upper Midwest from Silver Spring MD when I was 12 and I would often return by train to the DC area and visit relatives. I would take the Twin Cities Zephyr to Chicago and The General (PRR) from Chicago to DC. Another train trip we took was between St Paul & Kansas City MO which was the Twin Star Rocket (Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific RR). In December 1962 I rode the all night train #11 from St Paul to International Falls and returned on the afternoon train #12 which was the first time I'd ever been in that part of MN. I recall Native Americans from the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe riding the train between Bemidji and International Falls. After celebrating New Years Eve 1966 in Billings MT, my wife and I rode the Northern Pacific Mainstreeter to Bismarck and then took a Frontier Airlines flight back to Minot. The only other trains I recall riding were between St Paul & Duluth MN. My first trip to Duluth was in the late 1950s during winter when my mother, little brother and I rode Soo Line trains #62 & #63 roundtrip. A few years later my future wife and I rode the Northern Pacific night trains #65 & #66 to Duluth and back.

If you are looking at doing the Empire builder or the California Zephyr, you have to be aware of where you will be at night on the routes. In my opinion take the empire from west to east and the Zephyr from east west. You will miss some of the best scenery if you don't because you will go through the most scenic areas at night. Just my 2 cents.

WE had a kid in college in Chicago and another in Milwaukee, and we love The Hiawatha. That car route is sooo busy that the train is usually faster.

I loved the Empire Builder. I stayed overnight at Glacier National Park. Slept at the Lodge. Had dinner and breakfast there. The next day, I took the highway to the sun (may have the name wrong). Then, I bordered the Empire Builder again and continued to Tacoma to see my son and his family.

It's not AMTRAK, but if you want to take the most stunningly beautiful train trip in America, ride the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star between Fairbanks and Anchorage.

In September 2021 I booked a one bedroom on the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles. I lived in Italy and travelled on the Frecciargento and Frecciarosa high speed trains a lot. I was floored by Amtrak. I met so many interesting people. Breakfast with sunrise over the Great Plains was awesome. I loved being seated with other passengers for dinner. If you can afford it, get a one bedroom. Living in LA. its also really fun to go from LA to San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner. Called it on the worst! Although I would've said Detroit to Chicago on the Wolverine. However, fun fact: In Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 film North By Northwest, you can hear the train announcer call out all the stops on that route.

Locals pretty much know the Hiawatha is more of a commuter route between Milwaukee + Chicago. It's perfect to use for work, concerts - and avoiding the freeway.

The Hiawatha is the best way to get to Chicago in a hurry from Milwaukee.

There are two Amtrak routes in the Northeast that, in my opinion, put the Maple Leaf to shame: The Downeaster (Boston to Brunswick ME) and the Vermonter (DC to northern VT). The Vermonter, in particular, is a truly gorgeous ride. It follows the NE Corridor to New Haven, then rides up along the CT river to near the Canadian border. The scenery is very nice, and there are at least two very nice towns to get off and enjoy for a weekend -- Northampton, MA and Brattleboro VT. The Downeaster is great little train that takes you from Boston north through Massachusetts, across southern NH, and then along the Maine coast. It is a beautiful ride the whole way. These trains each run the same equipment as the Maple Leaf -- coaches and Business/Cafe car. Each is very comfortable and very affordable.

Let me add a plug for the Portland section of the Empire Builder. While you miss the Cascades and Puget Sound, you get a solid three hours of riding thru the gorgeous Columbia River gorge, and with any kind of weather a great view of Mt. Hood.

Instead of the Texas Eagle, I’d suggest taking the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Los Angeles. The section crossing the swamps in Louisiana is lovely, and you get the higher level of service that way. You might also want to point out that there are shorter trains that cover some of these same routes. The Empire service, for instance, covers almost all of the “pretty” part of the Maple Leaf, and it runs several times a day. The Lake Shore Limited also crosses upstate New York, and the section through the mountains between Boston and Albany is lovely. The Adirondack also runs along the Hudson, and I personally think the route up to Montreal is prettier than the route to Toronto. On the west coast the Pacific Surfliner and Cascades cover most of the “pretty” part of the Coast Starlight. I also think the Cardinal is an extremely scenic route and deserving to be on this list. I love crossing through the mountains in West Virginia. I’ve never taken the Pere Marquette, but I’d agree that there’s nothing to look at on the Hiawatha. That’s a route where there’s more to see from the highway than from the train.

As Wisconsinites, my wife and I strongly disagree with your negative rating of the Hiawatha service. It is one of the most successful trains in the country and performs exactly as it is supposed to. It has the best on time performance of all corridor services and with 7 trips a day (and Wisconsin DOT working to add more), it is convenient and a great alternative to driving. It's only a 90 minute trip, so food service is not essential and there are plenty of great places to eat in Milwaukee and Chicago.

The Hiawatha is great for traveling from Milwaukee to Chigago. It's better than driving, saves on tolls, and you can Uber from Union Station to anywhere downtown for very little. The point isn't the ride, it's the convenience.

The Hiawatha is really a commuter train, I have taken it a lot when visiting friends in Milwaukee

Honestly, out of the Amtrak trains I’ve ridden, the Capitol Limited was the worst. It’s not because of anything “natural” in the route that would cause this. To the contrary, it goes through some nice scenery, has a pretty convenient schedule (if you’re not going to intermediate stations), and has dining and sleeping cars. It falls flat because Amtrak has stripped the train bare: not enough coaches, not enough sleepers, no dedicated dining car, flex dining, no sightseer lounge, etc. It’s Amtrak’s “sacrifice” train which always takes the cut to help out other Superliner equipped trains (even some that don’t have to be like the Illini and Saluki). It’s kind of like the Texas Eagle in these respects, but without the connection to the Sunset Limited. Not to mention, no courtesy lunch for sleeper passengers when going east is pretty annoying when the train is often a few hours late. It’s an unloved train, and it makes riding it far less nice than it should be.

One of my favorites is the Pennsylvanian. Typically fares are pretty low, comfy amfleet 2 coaches, very Scenic views through Dutch Country and Appalachia.

I absolutely love you both! Just joined Grounded Life Travel and hope to run into you some day! I am single, retiring at the end of the year (70), after a 41-year career in real estate. I am planning on spending 2024 discovering this country by train, starting in March - Rochester, NY to Savannah, GA to Richmond and Baltimore. Then in June Empire Builder to Portland. After watching this fantastic video, you have convinced me to take the long way home with the Coastal Starlight and the Southwest Chief. Love your Amtrak map!

Have to say I was not disappointed in the Southwest Chief route at all. Amtrak far exceeded my expectations.

I remember as a kid in the 50's & the 60's. & we would go from St Louis to San Francisco & it was a Pacific railroad & it went thru the Rockies & it was so beautiful, & the train was so long. It actually split in Salt Lake City. The Pullman co had a club car where you could get cocktails or any beverage. You could also get playing cards from the attendant & there were some very comfortable chairs. It probably also had smoking materials. My brother & I would play cards. I was a small person, still am, & I could not open the doors to go between cars so I always had to go where my brother went. When I lived in Chicago, my late hubby commuted by Amtrak to Milwaukee for a while & rode the Hiawatha. I used to go with him sometimes & it was the first Amtrak train I rode & I loved it! My father had been asked to work for Amtrak after the Pullman Co folded, but he declined. I wish he hadn't. I just love riding the train & don't care what I see. It isn't a very long ride anyway. Trains hold such good memories for me.

The Hiawatha is strictly for practical purposes for the locals. I grew up in Wisconsin and it was such a relief not to battle Chicago traffic or worry about parking when visiting the city. I loved making that little commute.

Just yesterday I watched another review of the Cascades. Now, I love the Cascades trains, both in Oregon, Washington, and up to BC. That reviewer called it a “prison train” mostly because of the consist; I think they were expecting the attractive Talgo cars and instead got basic steel and gray Amtrak. Also, he/she was critical of the exposed algae at low tide along the Puget Sound, “so dirty”, the conductor “yelled” when they merely hopped off to take pictures at one of the last station platforms before the Canadian border, and they were 24 minutes late! Ah well, we each have our own expectations when we travel.

The Cardinal in October is spectacular

Have y'all not been on the Cardinal? As far as NYC to Chicago routes are concerned, this one wins hands down over LSL.... granted, it's several hours longer and is an overall slower train (a plus in my opinion), but the views are so much prettier than what you see on the LSL. The Cardinal goes through the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains as well as the Shenandoah Valley. If you haven't done this one, try it!

We’re always excited to see a new Grounded Life Travel. To date we’ve ridden three of your top ten and will ride a fourth in October. Allow us to say a word in support of the Cardinal. The views through the New River Gorge are spectacular and make the route a contender for top ten or at least Honorable Mention! Thanks for all you do.

Another way to tell the Viewliner 1 from the Viewliner II: On the outside, the Viewliner I has narrow stripes, and the Viewliner II has wide stripes.

Rode the Coast Starlight from San Jose to Los Angeles once, and I agree that it belongs on the ten best list. Through the farmland of the Central Valley was interesting at first but got a little boring for a couple of hours. But THEN you cross the mountains to the coast and as you said, spectacular! The Zephyr is on my list, and I hope to ride it real soon.

In my opinion, the worst Amtrak route would have to be the section of track between Seattle and Vancouver B.C. - First, the track condition is terrible. Of course, I was on the Talgo, where you feel every little bump and gap between rails. Then, you stop at the border for immigration to check you out (U.S. Customs will have dogs and everything). Then, once you are in Canada, you crawl through Vancouver at around 25mph and you start thinking you will never arrive. Nearing the station in Vancouver, the train is surrounded by fences and barbed wire so you can’t sneak off the train, making you feel like you are on some type of prison train. Then, when you finally get to the station, you get to be checked out by customs/immigration a second time! No thanks!

My favorite Amtrak route is by far the Southwest Chief. Its views of the great open desert and the plains and the Raton and Glorieta passes are so cool and they're nothing else like it. I'm not as big a fan on the mountains. I've never been a big fan of the Empire Builder because it is beautiful and spectacular, for only about third of its route much of which is traversed in darkness. You mostly just get the cascade mountains at sunset and then west glacier the next morning but after that, it's mostly just flat green farmland.

I'm getting ready to do a round trip from Portland to Chicago on the Empire Builder in about 10 days. Going to see my best friend of 60 years. I'll be traveling in coach but she and I are saving up and are planning on a trip in a sleeper car in a yet determined train and route. We wlll do that in probably2 years. I love your videos and have learned so much!

I rode the PM once, and I enjoyed the fact that by the time it reaches St. Joseph, MI. We were right by the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

I love the Hiawatha. It’s my favorite way to travel between Milwaukee and Chicago. The scenery is mostly wooded, but I like that. It’s a great commuter route and you have the option of sitting in the quiet car.

I'd recommend a couple of things for your videos. Put place holders on the screen indicating which number you are on and which route you are describing. Put indicators in the video progress bar with that information as well. A lot of people are going to be interested in specific routes and not the entire list. They will want to skip some routes while watching others and giving no indication which route you are describing makes that difficult.

I record the Pere Marquette for my channel to Chicago on most weekends in Porter, IN. I'm sure most of the route is terrible, but from Porter on, it's through the Indiana Dunes National Park. Pretty scenic especially in the fall.

I hate the timing for the Pier Marquette, but it's entirely for business travel. It's my only option when visiting family, unfortunately (I don't drive). There is a lovely bartender on that route though who makes a great bloody!

I hope you will do a video on the Amtrak Cardinal.

We’ve done the Zephyr from Grand Junction to Illinois quite a few times. Both summer and Winter. We want to do the West someday.

Thank for all the info. I took the Texas Eagle from Ft. Worth to Los Angeles and the the coast starlight from Los Angeles to Portland. I'm 6'6 and got a roomette. It was perfect for me on the bottom bed. I don't think I would fit on the top bed. I also don't recommend anyone taller than me to get a roomette because I don't believe they could fit in the bottom bunk. I had a great time and look forward to doing it again.

I was really hoping for more information on some of the routes going up the East Coast into the New England area.

I'm doing Texas Eagle from LA to MO Nov. 5 and then back again Dec 26. I mostly chose to do train because of yalls videos! I've wanted to do a train ride for a long time, but watching your stuff pushed me to do it. Thanks! I'm excited and you all have offered so many great tips!

We just completed our first complete train ride. Guess which routes we took? The California Zephyr and (wait for it) the Pere Marquette! We didn't mind the early start time for the trip from Holland (MI) to Chicago because we were so excited we couldn't sleep anyhow! And there was a cafe car on the return trip from Chicago to Holland. We had such a great time thanks in part to your vlogs. We knew what to expect, what to tip, and what to look for. Loved it, loved it loved it. Thanks for the hints and tips.

The Maple Leaf is also not a sleeper train. It's configuration is normally 4 coaches and a cafe/business class car.

Returning to Syracuse from Chicago I enjoyed seeing the shore of Lake Eire from the Lake Shore Limited. Going out it was dark and we missed it. Chicago to DC was also fine, following the Potomac on the Capitol Limited (I think it's called.)

Good afternoon Allie and Rob. I agree that the Coast Starlight is a beautiful ride. But the Pacific Starlight is not as thrilling for me as I was born and raised in Anacortes (north of Seattle by 70 miles). So I lived on the water. But you are correct about the beauty of the run.

The California Zephyr between Sacramento and Denver scared me so much I won’t do it again. The mountains in Colorado are 9000 feet with a plummet to oblivion on one side and house size boulders above the car on the other side. For someone who has an issue with heights this route and the coast starlight between Salem and Sacramento through the cascades is off my list forever.

The redeeming feature of your 2 worst routes is visiting Union Station in Chicago! While your there, hop on the BNSF Metra to Aurora, then hop on the PACE bus to Geneva and take the UP Metra back to the city or rent a city bike, take it on the train and ride the Fox River trail up to Geneva or Elgin and take the bike on Metra back to the city.

My worst Amtrak train ride was the Crescent, I got on in DC to Atlanta. I could not wait to get off that train. I rode coach and regretted every second of this trip. The train was packed and it was rowdy from the time I got on the train until I got off. Loud talking, partying, foul language all night long. It was so loud I don't know if the quiet time announcement was even made. I waited for a conductor to come through and stop the chaos...never saw a conductor until @ 8:30 the next morning and they would not make eye contact with anyone. The gentleman next to me had his noise dampening earphones. I paid for an airplane ticket for retutn home. I couldn't do it. The Capital Limited from Chicago to D.C. was normal.

We're taking our first overnight train trip next month from AZ to TX and your vids are one reason. Thanks for all the tips. We first planned to take the coast train to Portland but wanted to stay in America instead.

You came close to pronouncing Pere Marquette correctly. Pere rhymes with Pair. It's French for Father. The Hiawatha used to have a food trolley. I guess it hasn't returned since COVID. But you're absolutely right, the view along nearly the whole route is trees and backyards until you approach Kenosha where you'll see a few cornfields before zipping past the end of the runway for Milwaukee's airport. Then it's backyards and urban blight into downtown Milwaukee.

Grabs Rapids, MI I also was born and raised there. Amtrak Pier Marquette does have a section that is worth seeing and that is the southern end of Michigan into Ohio/Illinois along Lake Michigan (I think that is the Lake) before you hit the swamp. The train does leave at around 6:00am from Grand Rapids and leaves Chicago around 7:00pm. There is none thing like stop in swamp at night while waiting for the freight trains to clear the tracks "Scary". Ok for now I will agree with you, until I start riding the trains. I really enjoy your adventures.❤

Some Coast Starlights are running with a TransDorm car (all roomettes, half used for Amtrak staff, half for revenue). This car has a lower level door to the baggage car on one end, and the normal Superliner high level door on the other. I saw one southbound through Emeryville on September 11. Typically this car runs just behind the baggage car with the odd-numbered roomettes on the left and the even-numbered rooms on the right side. I'm not sure if this is a permanent addition to the CS consist or not.

On the Texas Eagle, just south of St. Louis the train runs right along the Mississippi River, very close to the water, for a few minutes. Very scenic. Best seen when sitting on the east side of the train.

You should've added the Adirondack to one of the best routes. The LSL is not the best. Especially if you have one of the old sleepers. We found that train to be the dirtiest.

Hello Allie and Rob. When you talked about the Texas Eagle, I have been on that route several times. Most of the time it had an observation car. I have only rode it between Chicago and San Antonio. May on the days it connects with the Sunset Limited there won't be an observation car. Since the Sunset Limited only run 3 days a week while the Texas Eagle runs everyday (between Chicago and San Antonio). My worst route is the Cardinal (which runs from New York to Chicago). I say that because, even before COVID-19, there never was an actual dining car. The route is long, although scenic. Also, only runs 3 days week. Being from Philadelphia, I miss the Broadway Limited route (which ran from New York to Chicago). It was a shorter route and it left Philadelphia later than the Cardinal. Also it had a full service dining car.

California Zephyr here I come---- Wednesday!!!! Thanks for all your tips! Fantastic videos.

Kind of silly to throw the Hiawatha into this mix in the first place. The Hiawatha is, in essence, a commuter train. If Metra could work out an arrangement with WisDOT to run all the way to Milwaukee via the Hiawatha route or on Metra's UP-North Service line, the Hiawatha might just disappear as a Chicago-Milwaukee Amtrak service and become part of Metra. To compare, when the new route between Chicago and Rockford starts, which is nearly the same distance from Chicago as Milwaukee, it will be operated by Metra, and they will be using standard Metra rolling stock, whether those will be the current gallery cars or the new Coradia MultiLevels (first deliveries are expected in 2024) remains to be seen. Now, if the day comes when the Hiawatha Service is extended to Madison and Green Bay, as is planned, the level of amenities will certainly get better. As far as the view is concerned...oh, well. Again, it's not really a tourist train, just a way to draw Chicago and Milwaukee closer together via rail. If you really need amenities that badly for an 86-mile trip, take the Empire Builder to Milwaukee, or, in 2024, take The Great River, the new service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago, which will stop in Milwaukee. As far as the Pere Marquette goes, MDOT does plan to increase the frequency on all three Michigan Service routes, once a faster way to get from Chicago to Porter, IN is found. It's my understanding Amtrak is negotiating with the South Shore to use their tracks once South Shore's double tracking project between Gary and Michigan City is complete AND if the feds ever sign off on funding the St. Charles Air Line Connection, allowing trains heading south out of Chicago Union Station to connect to MED/South Shore tracks without a time-consuming backup maneuver.

You two are fun! Enjoy the videos.

Was on first Amtrak route, Coast Starlight 4 yrs ago, in sleeper bedroom with two other family members, but only the Portland to Oakland segment. Still, great fun, and i loved the experience, even just seeing people's backyards, cars waiting at train crossings etc. America!! One of these days I"ll ride Oakland to Los Angeles segment--the best part. The ocean views on your video are beautiful. Then....you two made me do it--- last month, took California Zephyr--Sacramento to Denver! Wow!!!! Seeing Donner Lake from the train, on the mountainside East of the lake, instead of from the freeway (our usual route to Lake Tahoe) --wondrful. Then passing places in Nevada, Utah, Colorado I'd never heard of---(Helper, Utah? Who knew?!) followed by the canyons of the Colorado Rockies. LOL people waving, some mooning the train from their rafts on the river as the train went by (the conductor said this is not unusual!) Now budgeting to take another overnight train ride instead of plane ride!!! Thanks for your ideas which inspire and motivate me and us!!!

I've noticed that there is one route that is not mentioned at all and that is the Michigan services between Chicago and Pontiac

There are alot of train travel/general travel sites out but I think out of all of them yours is the best!

Great video! We've been planning a trip and your channel has just been amazing in helping us do that. Thanks so much!

I'm reading through the swampy details of the Amtrak Credit Cards before booking my next (first and only was 1978) trip. I want those POINTS!

I really liked this video, but I am located in California and I noticed that you did not mention Amtrak's Pacific Surfrider. My spouse and I have traveled on this train a couple of times and it has fantastic views along the Pacific Ocean shoreline. It travels back and forth from LA to San Diego. Sometimes they put a sightseer car on and it makes it even more special for viewing the countryside.

I agree with your top four. I introduced my wife to rain travel and she loved it even more than I do. We could barely get back from one trip before she was asking when we could go again. The only major routes we didn't get to go on were the Crescent and the City of New Orleans. I promised myself I would take one more trip in her memory so I'm taking a grand tour involving three of those top four lines next month. On a couple of other points: We took the Texas Eagle. We found the Texas portion kinda boring, frankly. The Sunset Limited portion, we liked, but we had been on that before; in fact, the first time was before Katrina and we went all the way from LA to I think it was Jacksonville where it ended. Re the Coast Starlight, I think you should have mentioned that while the northern part is quite pretty, the really spectacular ocean view part is south of Emeryville. Finally, I think in fairness to the Hiawatha you should have mentioned that the whole trip is 80-something miles and takes about 90 minutes. It's not something you ride for the experience. Oh, an edit to add one more thing: We generally didn't worry which side of the train we were on because we tended to live in the observation car. 🙂

The wife and I rode coach from Washington D.C. to Chicago on the Capitol Limited. Although there were some scenic spots early on in the trip, the rest of the ride was tedious and even torturous at times. By the time we finally got to the destination, I was ready to open a vein. Still enjoy seeing your videos and thinking that one day I'll ride on a route that makes up for that experience!

The Calif Zephry has one of the most beautiful routes.

Hi Allie and Rob, after watching your videos a few years ago. We have been on several trains, and we love the Amtrak routes that we have chosen so far. The Cascades from Seattle to Portland, Pacific Surfrider in California, The Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle. Our most recent trip was on the Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, so far this is our longest trip on Amtrak. We look forward to making other plans in the future, especially to ride the California Zephyr from Los Angeles to Chicago.

I've traveled by train twice: New London, CT to Denver roundtrip and the other trip was New London to Dallas. Rode coach both trips

I took my daughter and grandson to Disneyland on the Coast Starlight in July. She’d never been overnight and he’d never been on the train. Though I will never go coach agin again for an overnight trip. The Empire Builder is great! Especially the Cascade Tunnel

Thanks for such great videos, much appreciated !!!

The Southwest Chief is my favorite route and I think it's a bit of a shame that it's rather underrated. The scenery on the Southwest Chief is like being on another planet in a way no other Amtrak route does.

I've taken the coast straight and it is a beautiful scenery

The Hiawatha is planning on going all the way to Minneapolis someday to make a second train. Hopefully they will add a snack car once they do that.

The Pere Marquette isn't so bad. It follows the lakeshore from just north of St. Joe, so as long as you're seated on the right, you get some good views. Yeah, the early part sucks, but to your point there are quite a few people who commute from St. Joe and New Buffalo to Chicago, and I don't blame them one bit for not wanting to live in that city. I've ridden the Texas Eagle both ways between Chicago and Texas (Dallas/Austin) and that's what I'd put last. Save for some views of the Mississippi, there isn't much redeeming about that route. What really does it for me is that there was no observation car, and the menu choices are awful.

A gorgeous route is on a part of the Capitol Limed. From Connellsville Pa, to D.C., it traverses the Youighenny and Potomac Rivers with stunning scenery, particularly in the Fall with the leaves changing colors.

I haven't ridden it but in my opinion, Amtrak's worst train is the Cardinal from NYC to Chicago because of its terrible schedule. It leaves NY at 6:45am and is the only train to both Cincinnati (east 3:37am, west 1:41am) & Indianapolis (east 11:49pm/12:15am, west 5:15/6:00am). It also doesn't have full dining, just a cafe car. In the early days of Amtrak, when it was the George Washington/James Whitcomb Riley, it originated in Washington, ran overnight to Cincinnati arriving first thing in the morning and stopped at Indianapolis at mid morning. Eastbound it passed through both of those cities at fairly reasonable hours. On the plus side, it does go though the New River Gorge in daylight and has a sleeping car.

I used to take the Silver Star up to DC a lot, it was a fairly quick trip ~6 hours. After getting tired of people not knowing how to lock bathroom doors, I started booking a room. So much nicer, unimpeded views outside, no one bugging me for outlet access, no walking in on people doing their bathroom thing, etc... Cost for a room now is incredibly expensive, ~$1450 for a return trip compared to flying first class into DCA for ~$350. I love trains, and I love Amtrak, but that's too much.

My vague recollection is that at some point in the past the Texas Eagle did have an observation car on the Chicago-to-Texas leg. I live in Chicago but my parents are in Springfield so I've spent a lot of time on trains between those two cities and the Eagle is one of the options, and I have recollections of riding in a Superliner observation car. I took some friends from Chicago to Springfield on the Eagle for their first train trip and I had been selling the observation car experience, only to discover that there was none on that train.

Awesome advice.....................

Maybe it's just because I like mountains, but picking the Lake Shore above either the Cardinal (best eastbound) or the Capitol Limited is, to me, a mistake. I have ridden everything overnight (except the portion of the Texas Eagle between St Louis and San Antonio) and I have not done the Seattle split on the Empire Builder or the Boston split on the Lake Shore. I don't find enough difference between the Acela in Business vs. the NE Regional in Business to matter except what time and cost fits your plans. I fully agree with your thumbs down on the Amtrak Midwest services that lack a cafe car, but they are intended as short-haul regional service that involves a lot of folks on less than full route rides -- still ought to have a cafe though.

I was glad to hear your list of best 10. Your # 2 and 1 made me very happy. I’m going from Denver to Seattle and back in August. My only concern is I’m traveling alone, I will be in a roomette, and I’m probably not going to come out for the whole trip. I’m 74 and a big chicken. Thank you for all your helpful hints.

never made a trip...looking forward to my 1st trip...i enjoy your videos

I just got back yesterday from Charleston SC I had the viewliner 2 car going both ways I absolutely loved it I booked a roommette

I was on the Empire Builder when this group of kids either didn't realize or heard the announcement that the Empire Builder split in two. Thinking the entire train went all the way to Portland. They had the biggest fit when they found out the trains split. I kind of knew it would happen with that group even when I got on at the Twin Cities.

My experience from Miami to DC was not super pleasant because almost all the bathrooms got clogged and urinated all over and then one of the train cars had the AC freak out and made it like a freezer box. I was very happy to not be in the freezer and I like the cold.

The reason I've never been the biggest fan of the Empire Builder and probably why it's underrated is that you do get the cascades mountains and glacier national park and the Mississippi river, but east of glacier, the scenery is just flat and dull and you have to wait to cross the Mississippi river and then after that, there's not much to see.

The Hiawatha is pretty much the only way to get to Chicago by train (and thus other trains in the system) from Milwaukee besides the one time the Empire Builder comes from the west. I need to use it to take any other train out besides the Empire Builder heading west to Seattle/Portland.

As a former 30 year loyal rider until March of this year, I really appreciate your enthusiasm for rail travel. Unfortunately the service has decompensated, on many levels, so much the past three years, that many loyal riders have walked away for good. Those unseasoned with the problems and are first time riders may be in for some unpleasant experiences these days.

I've done the Empire Builder SEA to CHI so I could see the mountains in the daylight, The Zephyr a dozen times (I live in Denver), Coast Starlight Los Angeles to Eugene twice, Cascades Eugene to Seattle twice, Southwest Chief CHI-LAX, Texas Eagle from LAX to CHI (except for the part between Dallas and Ft. Worth). This fall I'm taking the LakeShore Limited Chicago to Boston, The Acela from Boston to NYP and getting on the Silver Meteor to Miami in a roomette that afternoon. Next day I'm taking the Silver Star in a roomette. The only one I've missed is the Maple Leaf and I have it on my bucket list.

The big bang theory featured the coast starlight on one of its episodes,,one of my favorite episodes!

Good afternoon Allie and Rob. We plan on taking the Mapleleaf in December 2026. We will be taking the Cascades Seattle to Vancouver in 2026.

I took the Empire Builder and the scenery was amazing, but when we reached Glacier, it was getting dark so there wasn't much to see. Unfortunately, I think the engineer was trying to get into Seattle early, because I was literally bounced out of bed and was so disoriented waking up this way that I thought we were derailing! Otherwise, it was a great trip!

i mentioned on another video that we took the Texas Eagle from Chicago to San Antonio. on the return trip we were on the Sunset Limited as it turned north to Chicago and the riders on that train were PISSED OFF, that Amtrak gave up the Dining Car and lost the Traditional Menu. they were quite verbal about they considered a marked decline in quality of the food, and most left the majority of the food on the table after only a few bites! Amtrak also screwed up the consist (because the S.L. was 2 hours late out of New Orleans and our sleeper cars were between Coach and the Cafe Car meaning the foot traffic through there was horrendous. constantly people walking by and falling against the windows of our Roomette as the train swayed and rocked. we had to keep the door closed to keep people from falling into our room as they traipsed up and down the aisle, which was a shame because we like to get to know the folk across the aisle and we couldnt chat with them as we rode. I dont have anything against someone who wants to ride coach, so please dont take this as me practicing Classism because its not. we get Roomettes because we like a little security, a little privacy and a little peace and quiet. and who should we contact about getting Traditional Dining back on all of the routes? 3 years weve had the same menu with the Flexible Dining. we still want to ride this fall but might have to make TWO trips next year instead Pere Marquette is Pierre Marquette. id pick the Blue Water from Port Huron Michigan to Chicago. its for all intents and purposes a commuter train. they DO have Business Class but a lot of times its students coming and going from Western Michigan in Kalamazoo or from Michigan State in E. Lansing. its our 'transport' to Chicago for our vacation routes on Amtrak. for $72 round trip (PTK-CHI) its cheaper than flying and less hassle than driving.

I live in SW Kansas and take the SW Chief up to Iowa, and it’s a nice train and route. Back in the late 90’s I used to go to D.C. from Iowa. Started on the California Zephyr to Chicago and then the Capital Limited to D.C., and the CL was a fantastic train to take.

Lakeshore Limited from Chicago to Boston is awesome!

The trains from St Louis to Kansas City are very pretty along the Missouri River. Yes train to Grand Rapids is a bad schedule. I took the bus to Kalamazoo and got on one of the cross Michigan trains there. Got to sleep a bit later.😂

I rode the cascade from Vancouver to Seattle several years ago and we left in the morning and had daylight the whole trip. Fun trip.

I guess if you don't like early departures, you wouldn't like any of the departures on the overnight routes on any of these trains. I would LOVE a 6:30 am departure (like the Pere Marquette) when I catch the Lakeshore Limited from Cleveland. Especially since it's 1 1/2 hours away from my house. I need to leave at 4:00 in the morning to make the 5:35 train. The good news is, the highways are empty at that time and I go to my roomette and sleep as soon as I'm on the train.

I have been on the Cardinal and to be fair , the best parts are east of Ohio- the rest is rather old, wobbly industrial freight segments from Chi-Cincy. I was surprised the Texas Eagle made this list because I've heard the segment from Texas-Chicago is some of the least appealing industrial stretch of track in the US. If the shared section with the Sunset Limited is enough to make up for it, perhaps the Sunset Limited / Texas Eagle deserve the honorable mention.

One Amtrak Train you left out is the Pacific Surfliner. This train goes from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.

I have rode from Syracuse to NYC while going to VA to meet the Autotrain. I love following the Erie Canal and the Hudson River. Have done the Autotrain a few times and my worst experience was when the train was 3 hours late leaving Florida. Arrived in Lorton at 5pm the next day. So many riders were furious. This was from the old station in Sanford.